Entomology, the study of insects, is an important focus of the Museum's collections and research program. Our entomology program is largely focused on regional biodiversity. The collection is constantly growing to improve regional representation, and many elements of it are databased to permit local citizens and biologists to browse the data online.

The insect fauna of the Santa Barbara region, as true for California in general, is rich and surprisingly poorly known. Collecting by Museum staff over the years has already turned up numerous species of insects not previously known from our area, including several species new to science.

We are interested in promoting appreciation and understanding of local insects and are always available for public inquiries. Identifications may take a few days, but if a good specimen or high quality photograph can be provided, we can usually offer some information.